Reinforced concrete track-tie.



W. GABRIEL. REINFORCED CONCRETE TRACK TIE. APPLICATION FILED 001'. 25,1907.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

:NVENTORZ N: LUAM GAEWEL AT-r QQNEY 5.

' general contour and dimensions of a standbetween corners formed by theposts 5 and I To all whom it may concern:

WILLIAM GABRIEL, OF \DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

REINFORCED CONCIiETE TRACK-TIE.

Be it known that I, \VInLIAii GABRIEL, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inReinforced Concrete Track-Ties,of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In railway track construction, the rails are usually secured onwoodenties which afford them a yielding, elastic support, or on metal orconcrete ties or' the like, which are un yielding and are liable tofracture and disintegration under the shocks and impacts of and are moreor less destructive the traflic, to the rolling stock. I

This invention relates to track ties ofthe so called reinforced concretetype, which yieldingly support the rails and gives the same cushioningeffect as do wooden ties.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a tie in perspective,partly broken away, which embodies features of the invention, With'aportion of a rail thereon. Fig. 2 is a view in section on line 03-00 ofFig. 1. As shown in the drawings a substantially rectangular reinforcingframe having the ard tie preferably with inclined. sides and ends, isformed of suitable metal rods'or strips. In the preferred form ofconstruction, a

metal strip'or rod is bent near its middle at right angles to form adouble L, and is-downturned transversely. to the plane thereof near itsbody. 2 to form corner posts 3. Its arms 4 are each reverted in a-doubleL, the bodies of the bends forming posts 5 corresponding to the posts 3,and the end portions 6 of the" lower reach 7 of the arms 4 being inbentagainst the body 2. The frame is completed by a shortbar 8 with inturnedends 9 lyin the lower reaches 7. The frame is then wound from end to endby. a wire 10 in two layers overlapping each other at regular intervalsto form a diamond-shaped mesh Supplemental wing frames or bracketsconsist-ingof sheet metal plates 11 each bent to form a roundedcorner-12 are secured to the main frame to broaden the tie top so thatthe tie presents a. rectangular "section. at the.

. Specification of Lletters Patent.

Application filed October 25, 1i\907.' Serial No. 399,165.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

ioints onwhich the rails rest, their ends 13 bejnghooked around theframe. A longitudinally disposed rod 14 is secured beneath the wire 10and is bent on itself near each end between the brackets 11 in flat Sloops in whose bends l5 upright track bolts 16 are secured.

A hollow shell 17 open at each end of concrete or like cementitiousmaterial is molded around the frame, the bracket portions beingpreferably solid, and the interior prefer-' ably being rectangular insection. The upper face of the shell at the bracket frames istransversely gained,- the broad grooves 18 being crossed by tracksuspension wires 19 wound around the frame and brackets and embedded inthe upper part of the concrete,

the portions of the wire across the grooves being kept in properparallel relation by a spacing medium 20 allowing their limitedvibration and movement under load, this medium being a mixture of tarand hair or like material which is yielding and tenacious and does notfracture. A pair of blocks or struts 21 of the same material as theshell and of proper dimensions are each secured in place between thebrackets under the bodies of. the suspension wires by wooden wedges22driven' above the block. Reinforcm members may be embedded in theblock if desired.

A thin sheet metal track plate 23 suitably apertured to receive thetrack bolts 16 is laid on the tie over the suspension wires, and a trackrail as 24 may be secured thereon by suitable washers and lock nuts 25on the bolts. I

.Longitudinal grooves 26 with broadly rounded bottoms are formed in thebase .of the tie so that it may be readily slid under the rails or beremoved therefrom and the ballast readily worked up under the tie as itis forced into place. Suitable drainage ducts 27 may be provided fortheinterior.

While the form of the tie body and the disposition of the reinforcementsherein illustrated are preferable, as the body of the tie while light isrigid and its walls are not liable to fracture under the jarring andpounding they receive, any construction which will attain these resultsmay be used.

The chief feature of the invention is the resilient yielding shockabsorbing support afforded the rails by the reinforcing wires and thespacing medium with which they are surrounded; In case the wires aremomentarily depressed until they touch the thin layer or concrete abovethe Wooden wedge, as the yielding mass which surrounds sion wiresembedded in the body passsng through the inserts.

2. A track tie consisting of a hollow body of cementitious material,inserts of yielding material in the 'face of the tie, rail suspensionwires embedded in the body passing through the inserts and struts ofcementitious material removably secured in the body heneath the inserts.

3. track tie consisting of a hollow body of cementitious material,inserts of yielding material inthe face of the tie, rail suspensionwires embedded in the body passing throu h the inserts, struts of.cementitious material removably secured in the body beneath the inserts,and a wedge of wood or similarly-elasticmaterial between each strut andthe insert.

1 '4. A tracl; tie having a body of cementitious material, inserts ofyielding material integral with the he face and rail suspension .wiresembedded in the body passing through theinserts, a combined railsecuring and reinforcing frame partially embedded in the body, a railplate on the tie face engaging the frame and means for holding the framein engagement with a track rail.

5. Atrack tie comprising a substantially rectangular hollow reinforcingmetal main frame having inwardly inclined corner posts, wire woundtransversely on the frame in a double" layer forming diamond shapedneshts, pairs of bracket frames secured to the frame at track gagedistance apart, a rod longitudinally disposed beneath the wire layersbent on itself in a flat S-loop between each pair of brackets, a hollowshell of cementitious material forming an embedment for the assembledframe, rod and wires, inserts, of yielding material in transverse gainsin'the shell between each pair of brackets, track suspension wires woundshell passing through the gains and inserts, rail plates on the tie overthe inserts, track bolts each held in a bend of. the rod loops andextended through an aperture in the tie plate, and rail clamping meanson the bolts. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

\VILLIAM GABRIEL.

' Witnesses:

CLEMENT R. STICKNEY, O'r'ro F. BARTHEL.

around'the brackets and embedded in the

